Connect - ASSET InterTech

System-level boundary scan for test, in-service reconfiguration and upgrades, and many other applications can have a tremendous impact on your company’s bottom line. Reducing the costs of ‘no fault found’ (NFF) and upgrade deployments are just some of the benefits that ScanWorks is delivering today.

National Semiconductor has an opinion on embedded system-level boundary scan too. For an article on “Embedded.com” by Brian Stearns of National Semiconductor, click here.

TEST DATA OUT

Planning for System-Level JTAG begins early
by Mike Westermeier

The benefits of system-level JTAG, or the deployment of boundary scan methods and techniques across an entire multi-board system, are numerous. Some companies are turning to it to remotely update firmware stored in on-board complex programmable logic devices (CPLD). Others are tapping into system-level JTAG to remotely test and diagnose a malfunctioning system before dispatching a field service technician and still other companies have implemented JTAG as a maintenance bus for monitoring system voltages, temperature, status pins and other aspects. This JTAG bus can function either as a mission-critical bus or it can provide redundant access to monitoring processes. Several companies are arming their field service technicians with system-level boundary-scan diagnostics to reduce the expensive “no fault found” predicament and to assist in initial system start-up. To cash in on any or all of these benefits, the planning should start now.

TAPPING IN

Hundreds of processors now supported by Extended JTAG Coverage’s functional processor emulation testing

Augmenting the processors supported when the product was announced nine months ago, ScanWorks’ Extended JTAG Coverage now supports hundreds of processors. Extended JTAG Coverage combines ScanWorks and boundary-scan test with µMaster processor emulation from International Test Technologies to offer greater test coverage.

INSIDE ASSET

New licensing options ensure ScanWorks is always-on

Several innovative licensing options give ASSET users the assurance that they will always have access to ScanWorks even in emergencies, such as the crash of a personal computer. Self-service licensing activates ScanWorks in a matter of seconds while emergency license tokens keep ScanWorks up and running in emergencies or at times of peak work loads.

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ScanWorks delivers support where and when it’s needed

It’s always been a priority of ASSET to make users of ScanWorks as productive as possible, as soon as possible. That’s why support, educational videos, technical documentation and several other very useful resources are little more than a pull-down menu and a mouse click away. ScanWorks and instantaneous Web-based support go hand-in-hand.

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New USB controller deals three aces: portability, convenience, cost-effectiveness

No bigger than a deck of playing cards, the new USB-100 hardware kit interfaces ScanWorks on any laptop or desktop PC directly to a unit-under-test (UUT) without installing an internal controller card in the computer. Great for its mobility, convenience and cost-effectiveness, the USB-100 is a boon to development departments, manufacturing operations, field service and other groups. .

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New ScanWorks streamlines test application by combining AC and DC tests in one test action

The newest version of ScanWorks, which is now available, includes several exciting features and a host of enhancements to existing capabilities that simplify test application and ensure improved test coverage. Now, 1149.6 AC tests and 1149.1 DC tests can be combined in the same action, reducing test application time significantly. And, a new graphic fault coverage display feature that’s free with the ScanWorks Design Browser automatically illustrates test coverage at the pin, device and net levels, encapsulating a design’s test coverage in a glance.

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ScanWorks breaks into consumer electronics with Microsoft’s Xbox 360

The first major deployment of boundary scan testing on a high-volume consumer electronics product was chalked up to ScanWorks when Microsoft chose ASSET’s JTAG system to test the next generation Xbox 360® game console. Microsoft plans to deploy approximately 50 ScanWorks stations to test Xbox 360 throughout its life cycle.

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